As numerous voices debate cigarette tax increases, Missouri c-stores offer solutions of their own.
Missouri convenience stores appear to be taking the “if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em” approach to fighting tobacco taxation proposals. After spending decades fighting efforts by the state of Missouri to raise cigarette taxes in the state, the c-stores are now putting forth two tobacco-tax increase proposals of their own. Either proposal, they say, would bring in $800 in state income within 10 years, KCUR News reported.
The Missouri Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association (MPMCSA)has filed paperwork in order to gain state authorization to put its plans on the ballot in the November 2016 election.
“We are sick of being on the defensive when it comes to this issue,” Ron Leone, the association’s executive director, told KCUR News.
Missouri cigarette customers enjoy the lowest cigarette tax in the nation at only 17 cents a pack.
One proposal put forth by MPMCSA would increase the state cigarette tax by 135% over a five year period to 40 cents a pack, and proceeds would help fund transportation projects
Proposal No. 2 put forth by MPMCSA would instead increase the tax on tobacco products other than cigarettes, such as chewing tobacco and cigars, from 10% to 15% with the proceeds going to the state’s general fund.
Leone told KCUR News that the association would only pursue one of the two plans.
Filing the paperwork was a way to add the association’s thoughts on a solution to an active conversation on upping the state’s cigarette tax.
Raise Your Hand for Kids campaign spearheaded by the Alliance for Childhood Education, a bi-state organization based in Shawnee, Kan., for example, prefers to add a 50-cent-per-pack increase on the November 2016 ballot, in order to raise an expected $250 million annually. Those proceeds fund early childhood education and health programs around the state.
Meanwhile, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster, prefers to up the tax by 73-cents per pack and use additional proceeds to fund college scholarships.
